"I spent so many years miserable. Only Karley knew just how sad I was, because she felt the same," said Lianne. "I lived for food."

"We were both well greedy. That's it, we were greedy girls," she added.

But Lianne, who lives with her boyfriend of two years, has found a new lease of life since shedding the bulge and her best mate has undertaken a similar journey.

The girls both underwent gastric surgery to try and shift the bulge [SWNS]

“We were both well greedy. That's it, we were greedy girls”

Lianne Jennings

Karley, who couldn't get a date when she was fat, went from an incredible 18s to a slimmed-down 9st after getting a £5,500 gastric band fitted and swapping kebabs for carrot sticks.

And the eternally single tutor assessor, who used to plough through 8,000 calories a day by eating a dozen packets of crisps and 15 chocolate bars, has now found love with a new boyfriend.

Lianne lost 5st in five months by swapping McDonald's for salads [SWNS]

She said" "I'm at my target weight now, and I'm very happy to be a size 8. I used to be a size 26 - so my dresses could be used as a tent for a family of four.

"I get loads of attention from blokes now - before they used to do all they could to avoid me, but I was a pretty big obstacle for them to walk round.

And the girls both feel they couldn't of lost the weight without each others support. "I don't think one of us could have done it without the other," said Karley. "We're not the 'Funny Fat Friends' any more. Now we're sophisticated."

Karley shedded a total of 9st by swapping kebabs for carrot sticks [SWNS]

The slim girls, who have been best friends for around seven years, still go out every weekend but now they're a bit more reserved when it comes to guzzling thousands of calories in pints and shots.

The Essex girls have lost 15st between them and say they couldn't have done it without each other [SWNS]

Karley said: "We always got told that it was 'so funny' we could drink like men. Shots, pints of wine, vodka. You name it we would drink it. It all seems a bit daft now."

"But ultimately, we were always told that we were too intimidating or unapproachable.

"Now we could be from TOWIE. Before, a truck wouldn't have been able to tow us away from a buffet."